Discoloured Skin To Eyelash Loss: Early Symptoms Of Leprosy That Call For A Visit To Doctor

Leprosy, a chronic and treatable infectious disease, affects the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. Early detection is crucial, because prompt antibiotic treatment can prevent further nerve damage.

Leprosy is still a major public health problem across the world.

Source : Canva (modified)

By Dr. Sapna Kamalani

Leprosy is a chronic infectious illness that people have known about since ancient times, and it is still a major public health problem across the world, including India.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), roughly 200,000 new cases of leprosy are recorded globally each year, with India accounting for more than half of these instances. Despite being treatable with modern medication, leprosy remains a common disease, inflicting not only physical misery but also psychological and social issues due to the societal stigma associated with it.

Early Symptoms Of Leprosy

Leprosy can cause a wide range of symptoms, typically affecting the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. The severity and kind of symptoms varies based on the type of leprosy and the patient's immunological response.

The nerves in the limbs, skin, nasal lining, and upper respiratory tract are the most impacted.

Early skin signs of the disorder may include:

• Discoloured or lighter areas of skin
• Nodules on the skin
• Thick, stiff, or dry skin
• Painless ulcers on the soles of the feet
• Painless swelling or lumps on the cheeks or earlobes
• Brow or eyelash loss

The disease does not affect the central nervous system. However, it can impact the peripheral nervous system (sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves).

Sensory nerve injury makes the extremities of the hands and feet vulnerable to burns and accidents, which can result in the loss of fingers, toes, hands and feet.

When the eye is involved, it can lead to:

• ︎Improper closure of eyes leading to 'exposure keratitis' (damage to the cornea caused by dryness due to incomplete or insufficient eyelid closure, leading to a compromised or inadequate tear film)
• ︎Loss of feeling in the eyes leading to corneal ulceration & perforation
• ︎Cataracts leading to decreased visual acuity
• ︎Iris atrophy leading to secondary glaucoma
• ︎Retinal detachment leading to blindness

Motor nerve injury can cause several types of paralysis, including 'dropped foot', 'dropped wrist', 'clawed hand', and lagophthalmos (inability to shut the eye).

The autonomic nerves control PNS bodily activities such as blood pressure, heart rate, perspiration, bowel and bladder emptying, and digestion. Damage to autonomic nerves can induce hair loss and decrease the capacity to sweat, leaving the skin dry, cracked, and vulnerable to secondary infection.

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Importance of Early Diagnosis and Treatment

The condition is most typically seen as skin lesions and peripheral nerve damage. Leprosy is diagnosed by detecting at least one of the following cardinal signs: definite loss of sensation in a pale (hypopigmented) or reddish skin patch; thickened or enlarged peripheral nerve, with loss of sensation and/or weakness of the muscles supplied by that nerve; and microscopic detection of bacilli in a slit-skin smear.

Leprosy is frequently misinterpreted and delayed in diagnosis, resulting in unnecessary suffering. If neurological signs are detected early, antibiotics, such as multi-drug therapy (MDT), can help to avoid additional damage and restore nerve function.

In rare circumstances, corticosteroids and other medications may be used to relieve inflammation and discomfort caused by nerve injury.

In order to control leprosy, nerve function must be monitored on a regular basis.

If you or someone you know is suffering any of these symptoms, it is critical to see a doctor for a full assessment and early treatment.

Dr. Sapna Kamalani is Consultant - Dermatology, Jupiter Hospital, Baner, Pune.

[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]